ARKids First health insurance provides two coverage options for more than 70,000 Arkansas children who otherwise might have gone without. ARKids A offers low-income families a comprehensive package of benefits. ARKids B provides coverage for families with higher incomes.

The Commodity Distribution Program processes and distributes commodities donated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to schools and other eligible recipient agencies in Arkansas that participate in the National School Lunch Program and Summer Food Service Program.

The Community Services Block Grant Program provides funds to support services and activities that are designed to assist low-income families to become self-sufficient. Services are provided through the 16 Community Action Agencies in the state.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program distributes commodities to food banks, soup kitchens, shelters and other nonprofit agencies. Donated foods are also made available for Disaster Assistance. To view additional information on The Emergency Food Assistance Program including program information, eligibility, distribution sites, and links to USDA website, see link below.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides financial assistance to approximately 60,000 households each year to help them meet the costs of home energy i.e. gas, electricity, propane, etc. It also offers weatherization services and case management activities which are designed to encourage and enable households to reduce their energy costs and thereby, their need for financial assistance.

The Refugee Resettlement Program assists newly arrived eligible refugees to assimilate into the American way of life. The program offers financial and medical services to eligible refugees for up to 8 months after arrival in the United States.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food assistance to eligible households to cover a portion of a household's food budget. Benefits are distributed through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. In addition to food assistance, the program provides SNAP recipients with nutrition education, employment and training, and work experience in some cases.

The TEA Program is a time-limited assistance program to help needy families with children become more responsible for their own support and less dependent on public assistance. DCO is responsible for TEA eligibility and partners with the Arkansas Deparment of Workforce Service for administration.

Contact:

800-482-8988

Services:

Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is a system which makes the issuance of SNAP and TEA (cash) benefits faster and easier through the use of electronic transactions. Recipients can access their TEA benefits at participating Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and Point of Sale (POS) devices displaying the Quest mark. SNAP benefits can only be used to purchase eligible food items at FNS authorized stores displaying the Quest mark.